The Bodhi Blog

Funny thing, this article. I own a fitness studio, but we don’t do memberships. See, too many bodies will kill the intensity and for most people, this then becomes a glorified night club: bad music, people trying to talk to you when you really aren’t interested, and some questionable hygiene.

All this is yours for only $600+ a year plus sign up fees!

Weak, as the kids say (do they still say that?). The programs I write are dense; lots of exercises, little rest, and asstonnes (it’s metric) of variety. Performing something like this in a busy gym surrounded by the self interested (obsessed, even) masses is difficult at best, conflict inducing at worst.

Think for a second about your typical day at the gym: how much equipment do you actually use? if you’ve done your homework, you answered “Why, mostly dumbbells good chap! Cheerio, whot!” in your terrible attempt at a british accent.

Odds are, you are not a world class bodybuilder or powerlifter. This is good. For the cost of a year in a public facility, you can easily put together a gym that is neither grandiose nor lacking. OK, maybe a little more…

What you need:
1. Dumbbells. Barbells take up too much space and are more awkward. Dumbbells are better for your joints, more versatile, and tuck away in the closet. The adjustable ones are neat and tidy and worth a look.

2. A bench or Stability Ball

3. Oh wait, that’s it!

Exercise bands, medicine balls, and a chin up bar are nice extras, but not necessary. If your goal is building muscle, the chin up bar becomes mandatory!

Ok, so you’ve got all your stuff, now what? Well, you do one of two things: sign up for our free online training beta, or hire your self a good personal trainer to come show you a thing or two. The investment will be worth it. Take your time and interview several trainers (check out “Genius or Asstard? Things to ask your trainer.” for more on this…), and choose whoever you feel most comfortable with (and not just the hottest one… besides, I’m already booked up).

I love gyms. I do, but I am able to shut everything out and go about my business. I enjoy not having to keep the large amount of weight I need for my workouts in my tiny condo. For most apartment dwellers, gyms are the way to go. But a lot of people would certainly benefit from keeping things closer to home. No travel time. No weirdos watching you. Nobody taking your stuff when yo get a drink of water.

Home workouts lack the distraction of a gym. You can get your training done quicker and more effectively with some planning.

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